Tag archives for Charlie Walton

The golfing event may be almost 2 years old but it is one of the very few photos, if not the only one, of Charles `Charlie` Walton, the creator of probably the biggest, most damaging, lie the Costa del Sol has known: the Spanish Equity Release Scheme, and all the diverse spurious variations of the same sold to hundreds of unencumbered property owners.

Charlie Walton, who is now trading in gold (perhaps eager to emulate ‘Sir’ Nigel Goldman) is basically an unregistered unqualified Costa-cowboy who made millions cheating everyone, from pensioners to IFAs, from banks to investment companies, from lawyers to…more lawyers (the manipulated Uria & Menéndez report on equity release springs to mind).

It is simply dumbfounding to contemplate the profesional history of man who boasts having been Sales Director for ‘Premier Group’, a company that for starters, operated illegally in Spain…not without the conniving assistance of turn-a-blind-eye Isle of Man financial regulators.

We shall not end this post without giving out a word of warning: do not do business with this man…until he comes forward to help clean up the mess he and his great lie created.

ERVA could have not found a better word to describe the client that Mr. Caira represented in Spain: clandestine.

From his Bilbao office, this “contract negotiator” expert had wholly ommited the fact that his client, Surrenda-Link Mortgage Holdings, had no authorisation to operate in Spain because it lacked the required license by the Bank of Spain…without exception. This means that it was in breach of EU mandatory regulatory compliance with the host country, among other minor legals of obligatory observance.

Together with his pal Javier Bicarregui Garay, another submissive lawyer who in turn represented -remotely- the victims of this fiasco devised by Charles “Charlie” Walton (without ever meeting them, talking to them or even the basic thing such as checking out the operation), with a power of attorney, tens of mortgage loans were signed off on distant properties via a servile happy-to-please Bilbao Notary…all of them, without exception, for an illegal investment purpose to evade Spanish taxes.

It is strongly recommended that anyone that had given a power of attorney to Mr. Bicarregui Garay inmediately revokesit by formally signing a revocation of power of attorney public document, at the closest Notary Public.

The Surrenda Link Mortgage Holding fell for the fake tax mitigation scheme that Charles “Charlie” Walton, based in Estepona, came up with. Just how any bank could have been so stupid to believe it is shocking but more worryingly is the fact that trusting customers, conned in the most despicable manner, have to be chasing this bank to obtain a resolution to their plight.

Below is a letter that was sent to SLMH by lawyers acting for a victim:

Dear Sirs

As you may be aware, the above customers took out a mortgage with your company between the years 2006 and 2007. The purpose of this mortgage was to reduce the taxable value of their property, with a view to pay a lesser IHT, and to create at the same time an income stream that would enable them to improve their lifestyle, given that they are all pensioners.

It is my understanding that Mr. Charles Walton, from the Premier Group, introduced this scheme in Spain some years back and convinced the SLM Group to provide the loans. This seems clear from the information below:

Both Premier and SLM devised, planned, promoted and sold the product to British pensioners, under the appealing name SITIRS (Spanish Investment Transfer and Income Release Scheme), on the basis of one very clear message: “reduce the value of your property or face paying a very high tax rate”. The fraudulent and misleading advertising for this artifice is undisputed.

The product was also deceitfully sold as a means to raise cash and provide an income stream, being self-sustainable: pensioners were not required to have an income (SITIRS brochure read “there are no income proof requirements from loan providers”).

SLM was not regulated to provide mortgage loans in Spain, as is required by any entity that wishes to professionally provide such service in Spain. The footer warning note amply inserted in promotional literature is no mitigating factor to the lack of compliance with this non-waiverable requirement. If at all, it shows that in spite of knowing the existence of certain regulatory obligations, SLMH chose to infringe them deliberately.

SLM instructed unregulated IFA to capture clients in Spain, against mandatory regulatory provisions. Hamiltons Financial Services is one of such agents and was used as a means for SLM and Premier Group to further their business in Spain. We find the allegation that the pseudo- IFA´s were in fact hired by the customer as an excuse that deforms reality and is obviously untrue.

SLM instructed unregulated property valuers in Spain to capture clients, against mandatory regulatory provisions. Cluttons is one of such examples.

We would like to enter into a constructive dialogue in respect of these products, with a view to terminating the contracts on grounds that they are based on an illicit cause (tax evasion proposition), sold misleadingly as being able to legally reduce IHT taxes (irrespective of whether customers could have had independent advice), sold misleadingly as a means to provide an income for the duration of the term of the loan and utterly inadequate for the customer´s profile.

Should you deem the above proposition acceptable, I am be happy to discuss the procedure to achieve the a settlement on this matter.